Heart Calc:
1) The purpose of Heart Calc is to make sure that you are working within your target heart rate to get the most effective zone for improving your fitness and burning calories. This software would be best used at the high school level.
2) Heart Calc could fall into a few of the categories. The best used would probably be the problem solving category. The user can solve where their individual heart rate needs to be for maximum performance.
3) In Physical Education the user would be able to use the Heart Calc in just about every activity that they do. Students could use the Heart Calc daily and learn what activities and exercises increase their heart rate. The high school level could benefit from this software.
4) The strengths of this software for physical education students is for them to gain knowledge in knowing their heart rates to maximize their fitness level to become more healthy. Some weaknesses could be students who do not have the math skills to use the heart calc could struggle with learning their desired heart rates.
5) Heart Calc is free to users and requires a Mac (68k or PPC) with MacOS 75 or greater. The windows version should work with Win95, 22000 and NT4. Heart Calc can be found on http://www.otag.co.uk/HeartCalc/macwin.htm
Health Tracker:
1) Health Tracker is a program that helps the user keep track of and graph any health related measurement. I believe this software could be used at any level of physical education.
2) Health Tracker could fall into the drill and practice category. Using health tracker for weight loss, percentage of body fat or blood pressure the user will be able to find their information on the graph and know what they need to do to improve to their goals.
3) A Physical Education class could have a goal to lower the percentage of body fat for the whole class. Each week the students will be able to see the progression of the class that is posted on the graph, until the desired goal is met. This would work the best with high school students. Health tracker could also be used for blood pressure or measurements for various body parts.
4) Some strengths of health tracker include visually being able to see and keep track of the users health related measurements. Some weaknesses may include a loss of passion for P.E. if the desired results are not met.
5) Health tracker costs $19.99. It can be purchased online at http://www.blackcatsystems.com/software/health-weight-tracking-software.html Health tracker requires Mac OS X or Windows 2000/XP/Vista.
Open Fitness:
1) Open fitness tracks workouts, supplement usage, diet, measurements and more. Users can view charts of how they are getting stronger or faster at any exercise, losing weight, or losing inches. Users may also share workouts and diets through the open fitness network. This software would be useful to the high school level.
2) Open fitness could fall into the categories of drill and practice and instructional. Users could use the instructional category by viewing their workouts and then drill and practice them until they get their desired results.
3) Open fitness could benefit an advanced weightlifting class or sports teams. Users could find their workouts, desired supplements and diets through open fitness to work towards their desired goals. High school students who are serious about sport or fitness would benefit most.
4) The strengths of Open fitness is that it is very detailed for the user. The user simply needs to follow the instructions and work hard. Some weaknesses may include students being lazy and not updating workouts or results.
5) Open fitness can be purchased from as low as %5.99 a month to purchasing a license for $89.95. Open fitness can be found at http://www.workoutware.com/
Dartfish:
1) Dartfish is an easy solution to integrate video in P.E. lessons. It improves communication with students with the use of visual support. Dartfish will give students the ability to see themselves perform by providing them with the instant feedback. Dartfish can be used at any level.
2) Dartfish would cover each of the software categories with no problem. Users could visually see what needs to be done and then get the chance to go do it right away. It would be mostly categorized under the simulation category.
3) At the elementary level of P.E. users could use dartfish to show the students how to do certain locomotor skills such as skipping, galloping and sliding. The students would be able to visually see how each skill is done and then immediately go perform the skill. P.E. teachers would be able to use dartfish to help the students better understand any skills or movements.
4) There are many strengths to using dartfish. Being able to visually show students how to do a skill is a very strong tool to have. Weaknesses may include not knowing how to use the software.
5) Dartfish is $400 and can be found at buydartfish.com
Fit Stats Web:
1) Fit Stats Web is a web based health related fitness assessment and physical activity tracking software. It is an efficient way to collect, process, analyze and report health related fitness. This software may be used at any level.
2) Fit stats web could fit into the instructional category. It can let students know where they stand with their fitness levels and what they can do to improve.
3) A high school weightlifting class could be going through their max lifts week and after they finish each lift they can record their numbers into the fit stats web software. The students will know where they stand and what they need to do to get stronger.
4) The strength of fit stats is that it engages students to promote healthy and active living and can be a confidence booster by measuring success. The weakness could be just the opposite and can be detrimental to confidence if the desired results are not met.
5) Pricing for Fit stats web depends on the number of districts and school that are using the system. Fit stats web can be found at http://fitstatsweb.com/